Welcome to Scottish Genealogy Tips And Tidbits

Thursday, 31 December 2015

For those of you with Scottish ancestry, getting started is easier than you think. Scotland was the first country to digitize and make their records available online. The records contain a remarkable amount of information. For those of us fortunate enough to have ancestors with Scottish heritage, genealogy research is a fairly easy task. But first, you need to know where in Scotland your ancestors lived.

If you don't know this, try reaching out to others. One great site to use for connecting with others is GenesReunited. This is by far the best place to connect with others that are researching your same ancestors. Upload your Gedcom and let the smart match filters connect you with distant cousins around the world. The subscription for the year is £20.20 ($32 usd). You will only need the basic membership so that you can be matched up with others and discover where your ancestors lived.

Another way to try and learn where in Scotland your ancestors were from is FamilySearch. Check the already submitted genealogies, Making sure that you always check the actual records for yourself to make sure you are connecting yourself to the correct family.

Once you have found your ancestors, you are ready to move on to the website where you can actually view the documents. The ScotlandsPeople website. This is the website for the records of the General Registrar's Office (GRO). Their website is the repository for all official documents: birth, marriage, death, census, wills and testaments.

This website is the ONLY place where you can see images of original documents. The other websites only provide indices or transcriptions, which limits the amount of information you can get regarding your Scottish ancestors.

Wednesday, 30 December 2015

Uploading your treeTo upload your tree to any website, you first need to create a GEDCOM file.

A GEDCOM is a database designed to allow
you to share family history database files with other researchers who may or
may not have the same genealogy software program as you.

A GEDCOM can be opened
in any genealogy software program. And best of all, you can even merge the
GEDCOM from a fellow researcher into your own database
(genealogy software) if you have ancestors in common.

♦ GEDCOM files can easily be shared with
others via e-mail attachment or on a disk.

♦ GEDCOM files can be converted for use in
genealogy companion software programs and utilities that will create things
like specialty charts (family group records, pedigree charts, genealogy
reports), books, scrapbooks and web sites.

To create a GEDCOM:

Open your family tree software program.

Click on "File" to see the drop down menu

Click "Export File"

A folder will open for you to save your GEDCOM. In the Save file as drop down box, choose gedcom. Name your file, click save

Next go to the website where you want to upload your tree. Use the links and instructions on the website to upload. When you get to the part where you browse for your file, find the gedcom on your computer and upload from there, just like uploading a picture or an attachment.

Sit back and watch the website do the magic in matching you up with others researching your ancestors. but BEWARE that not every one has learned to be as accurate in documenting their sources as you have learned to be this week. Nor have they all checked the actual documents to make sure that the information is correct, so ALWAYS make sure that you check the facts by searching for the actual document to get the correct information.

Tuesday, 29 December 2015

In five short weeks, I will be in Salt Lake City to attend RootsTech 2016. This will be my first time at RootsTech and I am looking forward to the experience. I am thrilled to be attending RootsTech in the capacity of Ambassador. As an Ambassador, I will be blogging daily, live tweeting (find me on Twitter @genealogytours) to share my experience with those of you who can't attend. I will be attending some of the sessions, hanging out in the Exhibition Hall, presenting as part of a panel and, hopefully, conducting a few interviews. I am looking forward to connecting in person with my genea-buds that I really only know via social media, so watch for some shameless selfies. I hope to be able to spend some time in the Family History Library's British Isles Collection. I am looking forward to connecting with cousins and distant cousins. Family really is central to life. And most of all, I am looking forward to drinking in the whole experience. STAY TUNED!

NOW you are ready to do some research online. Start with the free websites. FamilySearch really is the best place to start. First search through the "records" rather than through the genealogies that have been submitted. The records will be far more accurate since the information is extracted from the documents. Search for the missing pieces of the people you already have in your tree. Then start branching out sideways (filling in the details for all of the children of your ancestors). Then you can start searching backwards. If you are researching Canadian genealogy, the Library and Archives Canada website is also free!Remember to document the details of where you got your information, just like you did when you started your tree. This really is a key piece of producing an accurate family tree. Next, sign up for the free trials at Ancestry and Find My Past.Be careful that you cancel these subscriptions on day 14 so you won't be charged for subscriptions that you might not want or need. Have fun with these sites. Look for records that you might not be able to access otherwise. Take advantage of the breadth and scope of records available. If you feel that you might enjoy a subscription for a year, then by all means, treat yourself. TOMORROW you will be ready to upload your tree. NOT yet, though. Just search for records, add details to your current tree and document the sources. Happy Searching!

Be sure to label all of the photos so that future generations will be able to easily identify not only the people in the photograph but the occasion when the photo was taken. An easy way to gather photos from others is to scan their original photos. This makes it easy for people to share with you because they can keep their originals. You can then add the photos into your family tree software and attach them to the appropriate person. Or you can store them in folders on your hard drive or in a cloud based storage system so that you can easily find them when you need them. My favourite tool for scanning is the FlipPal Scanner. It is lightweight, portable and durable. The photos are automatically saved to an SD card and then you can easily and quickly transfer them to your computer so you can work with them to add to your tree or to place into folders. Happy Scanning!

Now that you have the details for the first five generations, you are ready to round out the stories for as many of the ancestors as you can. Information to add to round out the family history:

What schools people attended

Where they worked

Where they met their spouses

Where they lived, who they lived near

Next add memories:What family members they were closest to growing up?Did they have any pets? Did they share a bedroom or have their own? Did they have any special interests? (Dance, sports, music lessons)Where did they vacationed as kids?Who their friends were as kids?How they celebrated special occasions like Easter, Birthdays, Christmas?What things did the family like to do together? (Play games, sing, go bowling)Feel free to add in your own questions. As the family historian, it is up to you to record the memories of the past so that future generations might know their stories. Happy writing!

Use code BOOTCAMP at checkout. Make sure you use the caps lock. No spaces.

This genealogy boot camp will give you an in-depth look at how to begin your Scottish genealogy research.

This webinar will be held in two parts.

The first part is 90 minutes in length and looks at Scottish research, where to look for the records you are seeking, as well as a detailed look at the ScotlandsPeople website and will walk you through the use of the site in a way that will help you to get results that are of importance to you and to use the information you get in your research to help narrow the results, meaning fewer wasted credits for you.

The second half is an hour and gives a detailed look at the local libraries and archives in Scotland and what they have to offer you as you search for your Scottish ancestors.

FREE CREDITS will be available to everyone who attends. Handouts will also be available so you don't need to worry about taking detailed notes.

Print it out and using your pencil, enter your
name, date and place of birth, date of marriage. Enter the name of the document
you used to confirm the information (memory doesn't count). Your birth
certificate and marriage certificate. Here's an example:

Surname, First Name,
Middle Names, Date and Place of Birth, Certificate Name and Number

Then add in the same information for your spouse and any
children you have. Include the documentation that you used to confirm the
details.

Now it is time to start working backwards. Fill in the same
information for your parents and your spouse's parents. Fill in any of siblings
of yourself or your spouse - the children of your parents and parents-in-law. Again,
fill in all of the details from the documents that you used to confirm the
information that you have added into your charts.

Next move back to your grandparents, filling in all of the
details for them and their children. Again, make sure you document the details
of the records you used to confirm your information.

Finally, move back one final generation to your great
grandparents. Add all of the details on their births, marriages, children, and
marriages for the children, dates of death, etc. Remember to cite your sources.
The details of the documents that you used to verify the information.

If you are speaking to relatives to ask their dates of birth
and marriage, don't be shy about asking for a copy of the certificates so that
you can use them to verify the information. Explain WHY you want the document,
so that the person knows you aren't going to use the information
inappropriately.

Once you have these 5 generations (your children, yourself,
your parents, your grandparents and your great grandparents), you are ready to
buy a family tree software program to add the information to your computer.
This will give you loads of room for expansion. Don't forget to add the details
of the documents in the software program. Usually there is a space for this
called source citation.

Thursday, 24 December 2015

After reviewing what has been a very busy yet very productive year, I turn to look ahead to what 2016 has to offer - so far!Throughout the year, I will continue to blog, to write for In-Depth Magazine and to be the editor of British Connections, the quarterly newsletter for ISBGFH.January: The year starts out full of promise with a planning meeting for Canad to host the Scottish North American Leadership Conference in 2017. February: The big news this month is RootsTech. This will be my first time at RootsTech and I will be there in the capacity of an Ambassador. I look forward to meeting up with and interviewing some of the genealogy colleagues I only know via the internet.I will also be hosting the Scottish SIG webinar from RootsTech. Our guest speaker is Maurice Gleeson. March: The guest speaker for the March webinar is Anne Fraser who will be sharing information on the Highland Archives resources. Time will be spent updating handouts and slide presentations for next month. April: April's webinar showcases the Glasgow Archives in a presentation by Irene O'Brien. On April 8 I am off to Winnipeg to do some research in the Manitoba Archives. Then I will be presenting a full day of workshops on the 9th before flying out to BC. I will be presenting a full day of workshops to the Kelowna and District Genealogical Society on April 10 then get to spend some down time with cousins and my auntie. Once I return, I will be presenting a webinar for the Ontario Genealogical Society. May: I will lead the first of two genealogy research trips in Edinburgh. I hope to get to see some areas of Scotland I haven't been to before and of course, I look forward to catching up with colleagues, aunts, uncles and cousins. June: The first tour continues on into the first week of June. July: The month starts off with the Kincardine Scottish Festival. This is always such a fun time. Mid month is the Cambridge Highland Games. August: Still busy on the Highland games circuit with the Fergus Scottish Festival. In addition, I will be hosting and speaking at the third annual Scottish SIG Symposium. And I hope to get to the One World One Family conference as well. September: The second genealogy tour to Scotland takes place this month. Once again, I look forward to sharing in the genealogical journeys of those researching their Scottish ancestry. October: It's finally HERE! The Great Canadian Genealogy Summit takes place Oct 21-23. I look forward to seeing what else gets added into the year. It is always such an adventure. And I am so terribly grateful to be living my dream.

Wednesday, 23 December 2015

Every year on January 1, a new set of records become available on the ScotlandsPeople website. On January 1, 2016, you will be able to view:1915 births1940 marriages and 1965 deathsThese are the main ones every year, but of course, ScotlandsPeople will continue to upload new records throughout the year. One record set scheduled for early 2016 is the 1930 Valuation Rolls.Here's the link for checking while you are waiting for the hangover to subside on New Year's Day: www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

This time of year we often find ourselves reflecting back on the year. I sometimes feel like lots is being done but it is hard to remember it all in heat of the deadlines and to-do lists. As I look back, I realized just how much fun and productive the year actually was:

What a great group of writers and an even better production team! I love writing for them. It always makes me stretch, and then to grow. About twice a year I think "Well, that's it. That's all I've got" And yet the ideas keep flowing, the writing keeps happening and the learning keeps me growing. So, THANK YOU Terri O'Connell, Jennifer Alford and Shannon Combs Bennett.In addition to writing, I did some guest blog posts for Geneosity. This was a wonderful opportunity and one I am terribly grateful for.My position as Editor for British Connections, the quarterly newsletter of the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History (ISBGFH) saw the production of four newsletters. I continued as editor for the monthly eNews for the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO), producing 12 issues over the course of the year. And I finished up as the editor for the Hamilton branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, producing 4 issues for them.

Over the winter months (Jan, Feb & Mar) I managed weekly or bi-weekly webinars on Scottish genealogy research. These are always a great way for people to be able to learn and grow in their genealogy research skills, from the comfort of their own homes, and without the need to worry about the great Canadian weather.Also in late January, I was able to attend the Tattoo in Toronto and had a great time connecting with the Scottish Diaspora in the exhibit hall. The emotion and stories that were shared were both humbling and humorous.In early April, I attended the VisitScotland luncheon for what they refer to as "Scotland Week" but the rest of North America refers to it as "Tartan Week" Again, a great opportunity to network.Mid April I was off to the UK. First to Birmingham to take in WDYTYA Live. It was fantastic to catch up with colleagues. Such great craic.

It was also a humbling to pour over the admission registers of Middlemore Homes at the Birmingham Library. Four of my husband's ancestors were relinquished to BHC organizations, the first two to Middlemore. Equally humbling, and educational, was the visit to the Back-to-Back Museums.

Unfathomable how our ancestors not only lived but also survived.From Birmingham, I was off to Edinburgh to lead a group of tour participants in their genealogical journey to find out more about their Scottish ancestors and about their own Scottish heritage.In May, I spoke at the OGS conference in Barrie, enjoyed hanging out with genie buds and making new connections. I was also honoured to speak to the Genessee County Genealogical Society in Batavia. What a great group!In June I was invited to speak at the Niagara County Genealogical Society in historic Lockport. I also spent time in June and July developing a course for Family Tree University.July saw the start of the Highland Game circuit with a weekend at the Kincardine Scottish Festival, followed by a day at the Cambridge Highland Games. These were educational opportunities to share resources with those interested in tracing their Scottish roots.

Here I was able to run an "Ask the Experts" session. Such fun. Later in August was the second annual Scottish SIG Symposium. What a great opportunity to share, teach and network.In mid-September, John D Reid ran the Rock Star Genealogy Awards and I managed to take silver in the Canadian category. Then I was off to Ottawa for the BIFHSGO conference where I gave 4 talks and spent time in the marketplace. Perhaps the best fun was hanging out with Thomas McEntee and Chris Paton.

Later that month I was able to attend the BHC Day at Fanshawe Pioneer Village in London, then I headed to Oakville to speak to the Halton-Peel branch of the OGS.October saw the start of two separate Winter Webinar series. The first for the Scottish Special Interest Group of the Ontario Genealogical Society features different presenters each month. The other, my own series of webinars for winter learning opportunities.Mid October, I was off to Montreal to speak to a group of travelers interested in Scotland as a destination. Late October saw me heading to Detroit to attend the Scottish North American Leadership Conference.

I was also honoured to be the instructor for the Scottish Genealogy Research online course for Family Tree University in late October.And, perhaps the most ambitious endeavour, I teamed up with genea-buddies Kathryn Lake Hogan and Mike Quackenbush to plan, develop and organize the Great Canadian Genealogy Summit scheduled for October 2016.November was equally busy. I was invited to be the speaker at the Oor Club monthly meeting of the Scottish Studies Foundation. Then I was thrilled to give two talks at the Uxbridge Genealogy Group meeting mid month. This was my last hurrah before being hospitalized and mildly sidetracked for a week. I was discharged just in time to be able to present via webinar to the Hamilton branch of the OGS monthly meeting.December started out with two talks at the Simcoe County branch of the OGS.

It has been a year of tremendous opportunities. I am already looking forward to what 2016 has to offer.Before the year ends, however, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Hogmanay!

Wednesday, 16 December 2015

Use code BOOTCAMP at checkout. Make sure you use the caps lock. No spaces.

This genealogy boot camp will give you an in-depth look at how to begin your Scottish genealogy research.

This webinar will be held in two parts.

The first part is 90 minutes in length and looks at Scottish research, where to look for the records you are seeking, as well as a detailed look at the ScotlandsPeople website and will walk you through the use of the site in a way that will help you to get results that are of importance to you and to use the information you get in your research to help narrow the results, meaning fewer wasted credits for you.

The second half is an hour and gives a detailed look at the local libraries and archives in Scotland and what they have to offer you as you search for your Scottish ancestors.

FREE CREDITS will be available to everyone who attends. Handouts will also be available so you don't need to worry about taking detailed notes.

Wednesday, 9 December 2015

Canada’s multicultural diversity will be celebrated in
Scarborough, Ontario, from September 17 -
October 1, 2016, in a very special way. Ordinary Scottish folk including
coalminers, trades-people, farmers and farm servants carried their strong work
ethic, social institutions and values around the world. In their adopted
communities they made new friends, learned together, and shared ideas,
perspectives and dreams.

The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry (http://www.scottishdiasporatapestry.org)
will be on a North American tour in 2016. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church,
Scarborough will host the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry Exhibition from September
17 to October 1, 2016. The first
Presbyterian congregation in Toronto, St. Andrew’s celebrates their
bi-centennial in 2018.

The Scottish families of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church,
Scarborough, are modestly featured in the excellent new “coffee-table” book
"The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry". More information is at:

Almost twenty descendants of Scarborough’s Scottish settlers
volunteered many hours to stitch these two panels for the Scottish Diaspora
Tapestry. The theme of the Scarborough panels is the relationship between the
Scottish immigrants and the Scarborough forest.

*with thanks to D. Bruce McCowan for the information regarding this exciting event.

Back a couple of months ago, the Duke of Argyll won a grant from the Heritage Lottery fund towards the preservation, conservation and digitization of the Argyll estate papers. This will provide a wealth of genealogical data for anyone with Scottish ancestors from Argyll, including the western Isles. This extensive collection of papers is being catalogued and made available to researchers in Cherry Park, the building near Inverary Castle which houses the vast collection of estate papers. You can stay up to date on the progress of the work being done to preserve, conserve, catalogue and digitize this vast collection through the website of the Friends of the Argyll Papers:http://www.friendsoftheargyllpapers.org.uk/

News today that the Scottish Studies program at the University of Guelph has launched their website for their new initiative, a Genealogy and Family History Institute. To be called Genealogy Research Repository, the website description states:

The Repository will be an important research tool for anyone interested in the history of the Scottish Canadian community, be they academic historians, genealogists, research students, population scientists, journalists, heritage workers, writers, or any Canadian proud of their Scottish ancestry and heritage.

Sunday, 6 December 2015

Three weeks ago, I had pleasure of giving two talks to the Uxbridge Genealogy Group (http://www.uxgen.net/) Unfortunately I wound up in hospital after I got back, so haven't been able to post a public thank you. We had a great day. People were really enthusiastic and had lots of great stories to share. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of giving two talks to the Simcoe County Branch of the OGS in Barrie (http://www.simcoebogs.com/). The talks were well attended and again, lots of great stories were shared. I am always so excited to share resources and information with people who are of Scots descent. They are always such a fun group. Perhaps the best part of each event were the free credits to practice what they learned about using the ScotlandsPeople website. So, thank you Marian and thank you Dave, Sandy and Nancy for two super Saturdays in the last month!

Saturday, 5 December 2015

Perhaps the best genealogy tool I own is the FlipPal
Scanner. It is light-weight, fully portable, and durable. This little scanner
allows me to scan photos in seconds. I can take it to Scotland without having
to worry about remembering adapters. The scanner runs on batteries. I can scan
original photos and leave the original with the owner. People are only too
happy to share if they can keep the photo they treasure. This allows me to scan
300 photos in just over an hour.

I have been able to visit one aunt and scan her photos, pop the SD card into my laptop to transfer the pictures and then share them with everyone else I visit on my trip.

Remember in the days when the old photos were taken, copies weren't readily made and shared. Some of the photos I have scanned are being seen and shared for the very first time, thanks to FlipPal.

For US orders there is free standard shipping on all orders
over $149.

I guarantee your genealogy or scrapbooking enthusiast will
LOVE this under their Christmas tree.

Wednesday, 2 December 2015

The Scottish Studies Program at the University of Guelph has started it's crowd funding program, as was announced at the Scottish SIG Symposium in August, to launch their Genealogy and Family History Institute. One of the ideas for the Institute is for it to be a repository for people to bequeath their family history which the Institute can digitize, house, preserve for future generations.

Monday, 23 November 2015

Registration for the Great Canadian Genealogy Summit is now OPEN!!Full registration includes the Opening Keynote on Friday night, a full day of workshops on Saturday, the closing Plenary on Sunday. Also included are your breakfast and lunch on Saturday, coffee and pastries Sunday morning, free access to FindMyPast for the weekend, a free course registration to NIGS, access to the marketplace and loads of time to network and share with others. Program choices include:

French Canadian research

Canadian Research

Irish Research

English Research

Scottish Research

Options to add-on are:

Bus between the hotel and the Ontario Archives for a full day of research.

A hands on workshop with the Dominion Genealogist for those looking to work on their UEL application.

For those coming from a distance and looking to stay at the hotel, the Summit has secured a reduced rate for the newly renovated rooms. The rate is $135 per room per night. You can register directly from the Great Canadian Genealogy Summit website. http://www.cangensummit.ca/

Thursday, 19 November 2015

New Records release on ScotlandsPeople. Military Service
Appeals Tribunal records relating to the Appeal cases of 5,820 men seeking
exemption from military service between 1916 and 1918.

The records cover the Lothians & Peebles, Ross & Cromarty, Sutherland and Lewis areas of Scotland. All others were destroyed.

The records are searchable by name, address, grounds, and
occupation. Until Dec 3, the index is free to search and are only 10 credits to
view. After Dec 3, the documents will be 20 credits to view.

Note that you will have to download each page individually. The documents are in jpeg format rather than pdf which would allow you to download the entire record in one go, regardless of number of pages.

As a RootsTech Ambassador, I get the privilege of giving away a free pass to RootsTech 2016. To be entered into the draw, you simply had to send me an email telling me you wanted to be entered. All entries were submitted to Random Picker. And the winner is...Jennifer Bennett from Alberta!! Another Canadian is going to RootsTech! Congratulations Jennifer and I will be in touch by email to give you the details of how to get your free registration.

Friday, 13 November 2015

The first Saturday of every month is Scottish Genealogy Saturday with webinars hosted by the Scottish SIG of the Ontario Genealogical Society. December's presenter is Chris Paton who will be discussing the records generated by our ancestors when they fell on hard times.

Monday, 9 November 2015

On Tuesday, December 1, I will be hosting a webinar on Tracking Your Scots Emigrant Ancestor. This webinar will look at

In
this webinar you will learn about the importance of Understanding Emigration in the Historical Context of Scotland, the Passenger
Vessels Acts of 1803 & 1842, the role of Colonial Societies, and both
Online and Offline resources for tracking Your Scots Emigrant Ancestor.

For so many of us, all we know about our
Scottish ancestor is that they were "From Scotland." The puzzle then
becomes to find out where in Scotland
and what it was that brought them to North America.
To do this, it becomes important to understand emigration from Scotland in
terms of the historical context of the country at the time that your ancestor
left.

From
the early 1600s, Scots began their emigration to the new world. Initially this
entailed the New EnglandStates and the Maritime
Provinces of Canada. From there, many migrated west or over the border between
the two countries. If your Scots ancestors were among the early immigrants from
Scotland, this lecture will assist you in learning more about them and what it
was that brought them to the new world.

On Saturday, Nov 14, I will be speaking at the meeting of the Uxbridge Genealogy Group where I will be giving two talks. The morning talk will be on Navigating the ScotlandsPeople Website and the afternoon talk will be on Lesser Known Databases for Scottish Genealogy Research.The talks take place at the Uxbridge Historical Centre and Archives 7239 Concession Rd 6 in Uxbridge. Admission is $5. All people who register and attend the talk will receive 20 FREE CREDITS on the ScotlandsPeople website, courtesy of ScotlandsPeople. To register, contact Marian at info@uxgen.netSee you Saturday!!

Sunday, 1 November 2015

In early Feb 2016, I will be in Salt Lake City where I will be attending RootsTech. This will be my first time and I am so excited. I have sat back for years and watched posts from colleagues who have attended. My turn is now. And, as a RootsTech Ambassador, I get to give away a free pass! That means that YOU can go to RootsTech too!All you have to do is send me an email. That's it! Email me. All I need is your name and email address to enter into RandomPicker and on Nov 15th, RandomPicker will choose a winner of the free RootsTech pass.Ready? Set?Go!

Last week I learned from President Alan Campbell that the Waterloo branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society is going to become an "eSociety". The branch is struggling with membership and viability and has approached the OGS regarding closure.

In typical OGS fashion, they have stuck their heads deep in the sand and come up with what they think is an acceptable solution. In reality, it merely prolongs the demise.In the past handful of years, OGS has seen the actual closure of the Haldimand branch, the Norfolk branch and now the Waterloo branch, but in an effort to save face they have called the first two branches "inactive" and now they are going with the idea of an online presence for the Waterloo branch. But, apart from themselves, who are they kidding? In the last handful of years, has anyone come forward to re-activate either Haldimand or Norfolk? No. It is a classic case of "out of sight, out of mind" Few people even remember there were branches in these communities. With the eSociety, there will be no newsletter, no meetings, no mailing address. So, what's the point of this new method of survival? WHY would anyone want to be a member? Certainly not for the reduced membership fees of $4 a year. What am I getting for that? A website? Really? The OGS has within its bylaws, the ability of a branch, upon closure, to donate their assets (books, family histories, CDs, maps and such) to a local museum, historical society, library or like-minded society. At least in this instance, people get to access the physical resources and they get help from live people. This is exceptionally important for people new to either the field of genealogy research, or to the local resources. But by making the branches inactive, OGS doesn't have to admit failure. They can still boast that they have XX branches. Even dead in the water branches. I think, and have told Alan and the Board, that OGS is doing an incredible disservice to their Special Interest Groups by making this defunct branch an eSociety. The SIGs have a $5 membership (well, actually a $68 membership - more on that later) and for that, we slog tirelessly behind the scenes to produce regular email blasts with our members, newsletters for our members, webinars, symposiums, host tables in marketplaces and God knows what all else. By hosting a website for the defunct Waterloo branch, OGS is telling their other SIGs that we are only worth $1. That smarts. OGS recently sent membership renewal notices. And the "behind the scenes" activity on social media has lit up with private messages, emails and texts with "Are you renewing?" "I don't think I will renew this year" "What is the point of renewing?" This is not a new phenomenon this year. It is an annual happening. In reality, if people saw value for their money, there would be no agonizing about renewal. None. OGS makes it impossible for their branches and SIGs to be financially viable. Their membership fees are extortionate. In addition, people who want the grassroots assistance or grassroots resources have to add on a membership to the branch or SIG where that help or those resources are. So, as I said earlier, to belong to the Scottish SIG, for instance, and only the Scottish SIG, the membership is $68. But the SIG only gets $5 of that. We are the ones who produce the resources, the webinars, the symposiums (yes we charge for those, otherwise we would be somewhere between destitution and prostitution to provide the things our members actually want). We can NEVER raise our fees because OGS raises theirs. We will always be beholden. There is so very much that is intrinsically dysfunctional about the OGS. Too much for a blog post, and really, too personal for the worldwideweb. In not recognizing their dysfunction, there will never be active change. They will continue to stick their heads as deep in the sand as they can. And pretend that they are a major player who is supportive to their branches, their members and the genealogy community at large. If they want to remain viable as a major player, they need to acknowledge the deficiencies, look closely at what isn't working and make active change. It is time for OGS to re-invent itself.

Saturday, 31 October 2015

For most of us in the world of genealogy, every month is family history month! However, October is specially designated in certain parts of the globe and there are special incentives and encouragements to get researching, or to start documenting the stories. I have had an incredibly busy, but also very productive, month. Let's have a look back:Oct 2/15: While not specifically family history related, I attended the OOR CLUB luncheon meeting at the Duke of York Pub in Toronto. This is the monthly meeting of a group from the Scottish Studies Foundation. In addition to meeting and eating, there is a speaker. The October speaker was none other than Rory Sinclair, piper for Clan Sinclair, and president of the St Andrew's Society of Toronto. Rory gave a fascinating two part talk. The first was on the history of tartan. The second was on the history of bagpipes. I thoroughly enjoyed both parts of the talk and look forward to attending the Club again next month, when I am the speaker. My talk is entitled "Within These Walls" and is a virtual walk around the walled city of Old Town Edinburgh. October 3/15: As chair of the Scottish SIG, I hosted a webinar on the SIG's behalf. This was the first in a series of webinars that will take place on the first Saturday of each month all through the school year. Our speaker was Shirley Sturdevant who gave an incredibly informative and motivational talk on Gathering Oral and Family Histories. Oct 7/15: I presented a webinar on Navigating the ScotlandsPeople Website. It was very well attended and I received some fantastic reviews afterwards. Oct 13/15: I met with a family to gather information to create a family history book from the research that their wife and mother had spent a lifetime doing. Oct 14/15: I headed to Montreal where I gave a talk to a group at the Dorval Library on Scotland. This was a virtual tour of the country and was very well attended. Oct 15/15: After returning from Montreal, I gave a webinar on some of the Lesser Known Databases for Scottish Genealogy ResearchOct 18/15: What a day this turned out to be! I had lunch with Kathryn Lake Hogan (http://www.looking4ancestors.com/) and Mike Quackenbush (http://mikequack.com/). We were sharing our frustration with the lack of opportunities for Canadian genealogists to share their skills and expertise. Out of that, the Great Canadian Genealogy Summit was born. We, in the following 5 days, pulled an entire conference together. Complete with 7 speakers, vendors, a venue, a pre-conference event at the Ontario archives AND sponsors! This Summit is designed to showcase Canadian genealogists and their expertise in various parts of research that involves our ancestors, Irish research, French-Canadian research, English research, Canadian research, Loyalist research, Scottish research. All of the areas where our stories as descendants began. Oct 20/15: I took part in an online presentation to look at different design concepts for the new ScotlandsPeople website now that the contract for same has been awarded to CACI. Some fantastic things coming!Oct 23/15: The announcement about the Great Canadian Genealogy Summit was made!! Then I headed into Toronto to meet Kathryn Lake Hogan and Jennifer Alford (http://www.jenealogy.biz/) for a late breakfast. After breakfast, Kathryn headed to meetings and Jennifer and I toured the amazingly beautiful and historic Casa Loma. Oct 26/15: Scottish Genealogy Research 101 (https://www.familytreeuniversity.com/courses/scottish-genealogy-101) was launched by Family Tree University. This is a 4 week, intensive course on Scottish genealogy research. I wrote the program and now get the honour of instructing. Oct 27/15: I presented a brief webinar on Researching Scottish Death, Burial and Lair Records. Oct 29/15: I headed to Detroit to attend the Scottish American Leadership Conference where I will be a panelist and get to network and collaborate with other partners in this dynamic community. Behind the scenes of all of this, I blogged, completed and submitted an article for In Depth Genealogist, proofed and ordered the second edition of my book, "In Search of Your Scottish Ancestors", and pulled together a one day Symposium on Scottish Genealogy to take place in Winnipeg in April.

About Me

Scottish born, Canadian raised, Christine Woodcock had the
best of both worlds, growing up immersed in Scottish culture. Realising that
others of the Scots diaspora were not as fortunate, she started her business,
Genealogy Tours of Scotland (https://www.genealogytoursofscotland.ca/)
to allow others researching their Scottish roots the opportunity to return to
the land of their ancestors, conduct family history research and deepen their
sense of belonging to their ancestral kin.